Psychology of Proximity and Attraction

Introduction

• Proximity: Still a powerful predictor of friendship and relationships in a connected world.
• People tend to form relationships with those who are geographically close.
• Mating starts with meeting: Easier to meet and form relationships with nearby individuals.

Importance of Proximity

• Opportunities to Meet: Limited interaction with distant individuals.
• Even with internet, travel, and college, proximity remains crucial.
• Example: More likely to form relationships with people in the same city (e.g., Austin, Texas).
• Statistics: General trend despite exceptions like successful long-distance relationships.

Mere Exposure Effect

• Definition: Increased liking for a stimulus due to repeated exposure.
• Applies to people, objects, music, etc.
• Note: Burnout is an exception but typically, repeated exposure increases likability.

Studies Supporting Mere Exposure Effect

1. Undergraduate Study on Attractiveness

   • Female volunteers rated equally attractive.
   • Assigned to attend a lecture course for 5, 10, or 15 sessions.
   • Volunteers didn’t interact or stand out.
   • Result: Women attending 15 times rated more attractive than those attending fewer times.

2. Anterograde Amnesia Study

   • Participants shown faces, then tested later without memory of faces.
   • Result: Preferred previously seen faces, even without conscious memory.

Implications for Daily Life and Advertising

• Daily Life: The people we see daily become more attractive and likable due to proximity and mere exposure.
• Advertising: Companies utilize mere exposure effect to create positive feelings about brands.
  • Strategy: Frequent display of logos and brands to form favorable opinions.